Wednesday, October 20, 2010

A Richness of Embarrassments, Part 3

What? After all those shenanigans, you mean there's more? Well, yes. Yesterday morning, I made an encore from Monday evening's performance. What happened? Read on.

Our dogs had been having another bout with the fleas for the past week or so. Back when my sister still ran a pet store, we could easily get vials of the Frontline anti-flea medication from her (note: she just reopened recently). This time around, though, we had to get it straight from the supplier.

Unfortunately, my sister had no idea where the supplier's offices were. It wasn't that easy to find, either, tucked away as it was somewhere in the Buhangin area. My sister gave me their phone number so I could order ahead and ask for directions.

"We're located near Orange Grove Hotel," said Anne, the rep from the supplier. "Over to the left, at the opposite end of the hotel, near the ukay-ukay used goods store." She explained that I had to go past the intersection, then make a U-turn.

"Don't you have a sign?"

"No, afraid not. But we're by a green gate, so we should be easy to find."

"Okay. Please get our order ready as I'm in a hurry. I have a class at 9:00."

Mom and I drove over as per instructions. We got to Orange Grove Hotel, crossed the intersection, made a U-turn, and headed back, all the while keeping a sharp lookout for the ukay-ukay.

And what do you know, we can't find the place.

I decided to park the car and search for it on foot. I retraced my steps and asked people where I could find the place. Eventually, I spied a small ukay-ukay shop. "Ah," I said, "I must be close by."

I walked on a little further and I came upon a small old house with a green gate. Pacing around the garage area were four of the best-looking German shepherds I had ever laid eyes on. Three young men, the dog handlers, were about doing various chores. One of them looked my way.

"Is this Cam Marketing?" I shouted over the loud barking of the dogs. "Is Annie around? I placed an order."

The young man stared blankly at me for a while, then sort of nodded. He called the others to put the dogs away. One of them went in, then came out. "Wait," he said to me curtly.

I waited impatiently. By my watch, it was already 8:30. I didn't want to be late for my appointment.

"Has she got my order?" I asked. Again, the look of bored non-understanding. I was getting antsy. "Look, man, I'm in a hurry." He relented and opened the gate for me.

Inside, the house was as ordinary as it could be. I guessed that this supplier must have been running a home-based business.

"Where is Annie?" I asked.

"Upstairs," the young man said. I wasn't sure if he was comprehending me properly.

"Can you get her?"

He went up, knocked around, and hollered: "Still in the bathroom!"

I wanted to pull out my hair. "Dammit! Could you tell her to hurry? I already phoned in my order an hour ago."

Finally, a door opened, a pair of legs appeared on the staircase. A pair of bulky, hairy legs. And the owner? A big, burly man with a moustache.

"Uh...you're not Annie," I observed.

He shook his head.

"And this is not Cam Marketing?"

He shook his head again.

"D'oh!"

Fortunately, the gentleman did know where Cam Marketing was. My sister was right: it was hard to find. It was another quarter kilometer from where I was...located in a sprawling compound and complete with a big shiny building and several delivery vans. Oh, and a *gray* gate.